=) Here I am again with chapter 14! Enjoy the last chapter of happiness, because soon, things start to get pretty screwed up.

Chapter 14-Bedtime Story

The day has been long and gone slowly. When I finally shuffled back into the sleeping dormitories, at about a quarter to eight, I could barley bend my knees. All of the day had been spent kneeling on the ground scrubbing a seemingly clean floor.

I somehow managed to drag my feet over to my bed and fall down on the rock hard mattress.

I didn't see Elizabeth until she was looming over me. " 'ow was your first day, love?" She asked me. I took a death breath in and let it out in a loud sigh, hopefully answering her question.

"She ain't cut out for this place," Said a harsh voice across the room. Instead of arguing, I silently agreed.

"Don't worry, it gets easier," Juliet said from where she had joined Elizabeth on her bed.

I sure hope so.

My mind suddenly clicked back to something that had been bothering me all day. I sat up fast "Where's Benjamin!" I asked the two women sitting on the bed across from me.

Elizabeth patted my knee like I was a confused child. "He's in the children's ward deary," I frowned and shook my head.

"I know that. But I couldn't see him in the dining room at any of the meals today!" My voice became frantic and fast. "I saw that girl who cares for him but all she had was that other little boy with her! What do you think's happened? Could he be ill? Or…"

Elizabeth cut me off with a harsh "Shhh! Nellie! 'Oy, relax," I hadn't realized how loud and fast I had begun to speak. Some women in the room were staring at me.

"Then where do you believe he is?" I asked.

Juliet answered my question "Sometimes if a child is too loud or cries too much, the master will simply keep him in the ward so they don't disturb the silence of the dining hall,"

I stood up outraged, despite my sore legs and knees. "He'll starve!" More heads turned to me.

Elizabeth grabbed my hand a pulled me down. "Nellie!" She scolded "You need to learn to not make such a scene,"

"Stephanie will bring him food." Juliet told me as I sat back down. I nodded still not being perfectly ok with the situation. It was silent as I tried to comprehend the idea that Ben was alright.

I noticed something different in the room, that feeling you get when something that's always there but rarely use is missing. So I silently counted the women chatting away to each other around me. One less then what there were yesterday, then I realized, "Where's Katie?" I asked the girls.

"Left," Elizabeth said bluntly.

"Well, why?" I was confused

"Usually if a single parent loses their only child, they check themselves out. They can go home because at home they have no one to support anymore and the small amount of money they made here can hold them over,"

This surprised me a little bit, but made sense.

"Liz!" An older women called softly from across the room. "Come help me with this!" Elizabeth stood up

"Excuse me," She said walking away.

I glanced over at Juliet, who's eyes were narrowing at me. She seemed to be studying me still when she said, "Nellie? All I ever hear about is your boy. Tell me? Do you have a husband?" I looked at her. There was marvel in her eyes. It made me wonder why the girl took such an interest in me.

I ignored the unusualness and took into account that someone actually had curiosity in who I was and what I liked. I smiled at the fact and answered, "No,"

Juliet cocked her head at me and looked slightly confused. Maybe she wanted me to explain, perhaps she was wondering why I was smiling.

"He died about two years ago," I finished. Her jaw dropped as if it was some huge shock. I couldn't see why though, I guess I never really took it as one.

"I'm so sorry," She said, her voice filled with sympathy.

I nodded. It was silent for a second and I think Juliet got the fact that the loss of Albert didn't really hurt me. Perhaps she thought that after the years I had accepted his death. If only she knew that I had never felt much feeling towards it, let alone acceptance.

"Have you had any other love interests?" She asked her face lighting up surprisingly fast.

My mind drifted for a second. My eyes glided up to the corner of the room without me knowing it as I felt a smile spread across. I was thinking of Mr. Barker for the first time in what seemed like weeks but had probably only been a few hours. "Yes," I said almost absentmindedly.

A huge smile spread across Juliet's face. "Really?" She asked in more amazement then I'd expect. "Oh! Do tell!"

My mind had drifted off; in fact, I don't think I even knew I was talking out loud when I said. "Yes…he was… kind and charming and… beautiful," I paused as my mind drifted to Mr. Barker's soft features and kind voice that I seemed to be missing so much now. "He was thoughtful and lovable and… married," I frowned at that as my mind slowly drifted back to the present. I saw Juliet sitting on the bed across from me having a look much like a child when they are being told a bedtime story.

I stopped, not really sure what to say. "Well, tell me more!" She urged

I shook my head. "No, love. That was so long ago… I just…"

"Oh please!" She pleaded "Tell me at least! What happened to him? What was his name!" Juliet asked, eager for the ending to an unfinished story.

I looked down and hung my mouth open, forgetting to close it like I do a lot. I didn't really want to answer the second one. After you know my son's name, I find it almost embarrassing to mention Mr. Barker, and the obvious fact that I named the boy after him. So I simply hoped I could get around it by answering the first question. "He was… transported…" I answered slowly.

Juliet looked confused at me. "Transported? Whatever for?"

"Well, a man… had him sent away." I said. Juliet looked almost as I'm sure I did when I first heard the news.

"Well, why?"

"I…I don't know," I lied. I truly just didn't want to bring Lucy into the conversation. Even though the fact that she was somewhere bumbling on the streets right now, I still saw her as the women who stood in my way of Mr. Barker. He was so blinded by love that he didn't see what was standing right next to him.

"Oh my. Did he commit a crime of some sort?"

I shook my head in defense. "No, no," I told her, "He was a good man," I felt my eyes start to drift again, my voice become soft and my words flowing together in a jumbled mess as I thought about Mr. Barker. I guess I hadn't really realized how much I missed him until now. "Always paid his rent on time. Always said g'morning to me. Took care of me after Albert died,"

"Well what was his name?" Juliet broke my day dream.

"Why does it matter deary?" I asked, struggling to change the subject. Its times like these that I regret ever naming the child after him. There hasn't been many of these moments, but it still kind of made me have that little pinch in my stomach that says yah knew yah shouldn't have done that, now yah face the consequences, however big or small they are. But honestly, looking back, and remembering the baby looking up at me when I first held him, any other name but Ben just doesn't seem right. It's a mix of feelings that often makes me confused when I fall asleep thinking about it at night.

It would have been simple and easy to go on with a different subject rather then Mr. Barkers name, but what Juliet said next just sort of made me cave in.

She flashed a huge smile at me and said, "Cause I want to know the name of the man who keeps you smiling like this." Suddenly, I became aware of the larger than life smile that seemed to be glued onto my face. I took a deep breath.

"His name was Barker, Benjamin Barker,"

Juliet smiled big and said very smoothly, "You named the child after him," She awed. I smiled back, less embarrassed then I thought I would be.

Hope you enjoyed=)

Keep your eyes open for the next chapter!